In response to Texas potentially changing its congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm election to benefit Republicans, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the "Election Rigging Response Act," which will ask voters to allow California to also change its U.S. House districts in the middle of the decade.
Typically, House districts are drawn at the start of each decade following the decennial census. However, President Donald Trump has called on Texas to redraw its districts after Republicans received a boost from Latino voters in the last election. Texas' redrawn maps could potentially give Republicans an advantage in five seats currently held by Democrats.
Lawmakers in California approved three bills that seek to neutralize the impact of Texas' new maps. One bill allows California voters to adopt a new, temporary congressional map. Another bill outlines the procedure for a statewide election in November, and a third bill stipulates that if voters approve the new maps, they will be used for the 2026 midterms.
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“Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and thanks to the hard work of the California legislature, they will have a choice to fight back — and bring much needed accountability to Trump’s efforts to undermine the democratic process.”
Republicans won 220 out of 435 seats in 2024, meaning Democrats would need to flip three seats to gain a majority. Historically, the party not in control of the White House performs better in midterm elections.
Texas' decision to potentially change its maps ahead of 2026 has prompted other states to consider altering their congressional boundaries.
However, changing maps comes with a risk: in trying to maximize the number of seats a party holds in the House, the less “safe” those districts become.
The Texas Senate could vote as soon as Friday to send its redrawn maps to Gov. Greg Abbott for final approval.
